ANAHEIM, Calif., August 26 (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Sparks
dominated the series during the regular season, but Yolanda Griffith and the Sacramento Monarchs were in control when it
mattered most: the playoffs.

Griffith scored 15 points and Kara Lawson added 13 and 10 rebounds as
the Monarchs took control in the second quarter en route to a
two-game sweep in the best-of-three series with a 72-58 victory
over the Sparks in the Western Conference finals.

"I felt like we were in a street fight," Monarchs coach John
Whisenant said. "We got officials that allowed us to play
aggressively. I'm pleased with the grit of my team. Our motto
is be alert, be focused and be determined, and we were that."

Top-seeded Los Angeles owned a 3-0 mark against Sacramento
during the regular season, but the Monarchs shook that off with
a 64-61 victory in the opener Thursday. They virtually ended
this one early, which marks their second straight postseason
sweep over the Sparks and third straight series' win overall
against them.

"Sacramento is a great team," Sparks coach Joe Bryant. "They
defended their title well. They played a very aggressive
defense that takes you out of your game."

Ahead, 23-13, to start the second period, Sacramento went on a
decisive 15-3 run for a 38-16 cushion with 4:46 left before
intermission. Scholanda Dorrell scored the final seven points -
a 3-pointer, a pair of free throws and a layup - of the surge,
which were all of her points in the contest.

The Monarchs extended their lead to 45-21 at halftime. They
maintained a double-digit advantage throughout the second half
and never looked back.

"We tried to attack them inside," Whisenant said. "Once you
break through their outer shell, it makes it easier. We needed
that lead. I warned them that they had come back against
Seattle. I told them at half not to give them a 20-point quarter
and that's exactly what we did."

"I never want to use playing here as an excuse for not being at
home," said Bryant about the team playing its first game of the
year at Arrowhead Pond. "When you're a player, you don't think
about it. But as a player, you have to have your comfort zone
and I don't want to blame this on it, but it helps when you're
in your comfort zone."

The Monarchs will play the winner of the Detroit-Connecticut series in the Finals on Wednesday at 8 p.m. on ESPN2.